Antioxidants and Aging: A Waste of Money or the Holy Grail?

Chances are, if you are here reading this blog, you have some idea of what an antioxidant is. Even if you aren’t quite sure what they are, you’ve likely heard of them. We often hear how great antioxidants are and how they protect us from disease and the aging process. But what ARE they exactly? And how do we know if we are getting enough or need more?

Let’s break it down…

What are antioxidants?

Chemically speaking, antioxidants are molecules that combat oxidation in the body caused by free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that possess an extra electron (PTSD from high school chem anyone?) which allows them to participate in oxidation reactions. Reactions that result in free radicals occur readily throughout the body, whether it be via metabolism or other imbalances in our systems, and create what we lovingly refer to as “oxidative stress.” This is likely a term you’ve heard before. Now you know where it derives from!

Oxidative stress results in accelerated aging and disease processes. In fact, it is blamed for much of the onslaught of chronic disease in this country.

Antioxidants serve their primary purpose by offsetting this oxidation in a few different ways. Some antioxidants are proactive and preventative by blocking the initiation of a free radical attack, others will convert free radicals to stable molecules, therefore preventing free radical reactions.

Ok, but why is this important?

Yes, let’s get to the good stuff. Antioxidants are well known for supporting our bodies’ detoxification pathways via glutathione (our master antioxidant), reducing the load of oxidative stress in the body, and decreasing inflammation. They support a healthy immune system, protect us from the degeneration associated with aging, and come from very delicious tasting foods! While there are too many incredible, and very important, antioxidants to cover in one blog post, I do want to target my top 4 favorites and why you should make sure to get an adequate intake of them.

1.Vitamin C

• Supports a healthy cardiovascular system and reduces cardiovascular disease mortality

• May support decreased blood pressure

• May reduce cancers of the oral cavity, ovaries, stomach, and colon

• When paired with vitamin E, it has shown neuroprotective effects against Alzheimer’s disease

• All the citrus fruits contain healthy levels of vitamin C, as well as peppers, papaya, kiwi, and more

2. Magnesium

You know this is our favorite mineral here at Katie’s Healthy Home! Here’s yet another reason why:

• Low levels of magnesium have been associated with systemic stress and inflammation and increased oxidative stress

• Magnesium deficiency, which is common in the United States, is correlated with chronic diseases and aging (no thank you!)

• Can be found in dark leafy, greens, nuts, and seeds

3. Quercetin

This guy has been in the news lately with how it may support the recovery from Sars-CoV-2 infections. Here’s why:

• Inhibits COX-2 pathways and stops the production of inflammation

• Reduces oxidative stress in the body

• Short-term consumption has been shown to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, particularly around endothelial function

• Additionally, it may protect against cancer

• Found in high amounts in elderberries (check out our syrup here!), red onions, white onions, hot peppers, cranberries, and more

4. Glutathione

• N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is the precursor to glutathione and together, these have also been shown to be helpful in shutting down the Covid-19 disease process

• Glutathione has shown to lower levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind), C-reactive protein (the best marker we have for systemic inflammation), reduce systolic blood pressure, improve endothelial function, and reduce oxidative stress (WOW!!)

• Found in milk thistle, sulfur-rich foods (kale, cabbage cauliflower, etc.), raw liver, and whey protein (you can see why this is one that might need to come via supplementation instead of food consumption)

Food or supplement?

Ah, the million-dollar (literally) question.

If you have been reading or following me for any amount of time, you likely know that I believe deeply in the ability of food to heal our bodies as well as prevent illness, with a few notable exceptions.

We are an over-stressed, over-worked, and under-slept society. This depletes and puts stress on our antioxidant system. Glutathione and magnesium in particular get used in reactions to support and diminish stress in the body: the more stress we have, the more of these two powerhouses we need. When we have lots of stress, figuratively and literally, we use up our stores quite quickly and often can’t replenish them fast enough.

Focusing on a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, the darker the color the better, will get you most of the way to meeting your daily needs. If you aren’t sure if you have deficiencies in certain nutrients, I recommend a blood test to help you get a starting off point.

Too much of a good thing.

Yes, you can overdo it with certain antioxidants. Most Americans have significant deficiencies in magnesium (56%) and vitamin E (93%), so these are relatively safe to consume in supplement form, however, support from a medical practitioner is always recommended. For example, at high levels, vitamin E (another amazing antioxidant) can interfere with vitamin K and affect your body’s ability to form a clot. If you have or are at risk for clotting disorders, you need to consult with a medical professional before going rogue. In some cases, too much vitamin C can lead to induced oxidation, which is actually the very opposite of why you would be taking it.

My point is this: food first, determine any deficiencies, then supplementation (with a very high quality and reputable brand).

Final Thoughts:

Antioxidants are crucial for optimizing health, slow the aging process, taking care of our immune system, healthy heart function, and reducing stress in our bodies. Work with a holistic practitioner to help you assess where your diet is lacking so that you can take advantage of all the work antioxidants do in our bodies.

Here’s to your health!